A World to Live In

This ecologist's vision for a plundered planet draws on 40 years of scientific research and activism to reinforce the prevailing scientific and environmental consensus over and against continuing emphasis on economic growth driven by corporate profits externalising environmental costs. It is somewhat chilling to read the prescient testimony delivered to the Senate in 1988 about climate trends, which have relentlessly continued to unfold since that date. Is the author points out, the critical areas are politics, economics and the environment. The power has shifted so far in the direction of corporate economics, that policies are skewed in their favour and politicians sing from their hymn sheet. Woodwell zooms out to present a picture of the impact of a century of industrial development that has brought about greater changes to the Earth than any period in human history. We now know that the Earth is a living system and that its stability is threatened by human disruption, more especially from the by-products of the energy and agriculture industries. It is one of the special features of this book to highlight the polluting impact of unsustainable industrial agriculture, for instance in the creation of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The overall impact of humans on the biosphere was already identified by George Perkins Marsh, a contemporary of Darwin and author of The Earth as Modified by Human Action first published in 1885.

Along with many other informed voices, Woodwell calls for a return to fundamentals so that we can understand the underlying forces driving destructive ecological trends and the economic and political system that allows this situation to continue unfettered. His concern is with the integrity of the entire biosphere, which has been compromised by nuclear explosions, chemicals and carbon. We need to be mindful of the global commons and ensure closed loops to prevent the externalisation of costs. We are beginning to see some of the widespread disruption caused by environmental refugees, which will only get worse. In this scenario, adaptation is absolutely insufficient and mitigation is required, especially in view of feedback loops that will intensify climate chaos. Our impact has been chronic, cumulative and relentless, and now demands the fundamental recognition of the integrity of the biosphere since the future of civilisation hangs in the balance. In Woodwell's view, this calls for regenerative action and a government emphasis on public welfare. However, in their present form, governments are simply not up to the job for the reasons outlined above and the sheer interlinked complexity of multiple issues. There are certainly trends towards localisation and smaller scale activity, but these are countered by vast developments of soya in the Amazon to feed animals eaten by humans. The only answer will be pressure exerted by NGOs and Internet campaigns based on ideas set out in this book and in many others, which themselves reflect a scientific consensus.